The Old Dominion University Student Directories collection consists of student directories for the Norfolk Division of the College of William and Mary, Old Dominion College, and Old Dominion University, non-continuous, from 1955 to 2004.

Old Dominion University was founded in September 1930 as an extension campus of the College of William and Mary in the Tidewater region of Virginia. Established as a two year junior college known as the Norfolk Division of the College of William and Mary, the school’s mission was to provide educational opportunities to the people of Hampton Roads commensurate with those available near the commonwealth’s large university centers. The “Division” as it was known, opened its doors in the empty buildings of the old Larchmont Elementary School, offering a two year course of study allowing students the opportunity to earn transferable credit through the sophomore year to any four year college throughout the United States. In 1931, courses in basic engineering and other technical studies were offered at the Norfolk Division through collective partnership with Virginia Polytechnic Institute (VPI), taught by instructors directly provided by VPI. Upon the completion of studies at the Division, many students seeking baccalaureate degrees continued their academic pursuits at either the Williamsburg campus of William and Mary or VPI in Blacksburg, though it was not uncommon for Norfolk Division students to attend other universities throughout the country as well.

The persistent popularity of instruction offered by the Division resulted in expanded curricula in 1939 that provided vocational or technical training for careers not requiring baccalaureate degrees. At the onset of World War II, the Norfolk Division focused vocational and technical training through what was known as the War Training Program, designed to support the technical demands of the armed forces in the war effort. Post war through the 1950s the Division continued to grow offering increased curricula in the fields of music, secretarial science, merchandising, fine arts, and a nurses’ training program through affiliation with Norfolk General Hospital. In 1954, William and Mary approved the Norfolk Division to offer several academic programs leading to baccalaureate degrees and two years later the Division awarded its first four year degrees to fifteen eligible students. In 1961 the Division earned accreditation as a four year school and in August 1962, became independent of William and Mary and was established by the Virginia General Assembly as Old Dominion College. In 1969, Old Dominion College became present day Old Dominion University.

The original student body at the Norfolk Division of the College of William and Mary in 1930 numbered at 356 with a faculty of 13 instructors. In 2011, there were over 24,000 registered students which includes 18,000 undergraduate, 5,500 graduate, and 1400 international students. Since 1930, the Norfolk Division, Old Dominion College, and Old Dominion University have collectively produced over 100,000 alumni living in all 50 states and 78 countries.

In March 1955 the Norfolk Division of the College of William and Mary published a student directory through the collaborative efforts of the Inter-Club Council, student body, faculty and staff. This directory provided the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of registered students as a service intended to foster a closer relationship among the student body. Later in 1955, the directory was expanded under the direction of the Student Senate to include not only student contact information, but also the names, addresses and telephone numbers of faculty and staff as well. By 1958, the Sophomore Class assumed responsibility for producing the directory, which was sold at a cost of twenty-five cents per copy. In 1961, commercial advertising from local merchants was included in the directory for the first time. Publication responsibilities were assumed in 1964 by Alpha Kappa Psi, a national professional business fraternity with a local chapter on campus. A provision contained within the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) restricted public disclosure of a student’s personal information without the student’s expressed written permission. The implementation of FERPA in August 1974 prevented Alpha Kappa Psi from publishing a student directory in the fall of 1974 until a suitable process was developed to ensure student privacy and confidentiality within the mandates of this new federal law. By 1985, the student directory was published under the supervision of the Office of Student Affairs and included a calendar of events for the coming academic year. Local information such as a campus map, public transportation services and discount coupons from local merchants were also included.

Rights: Questions on literary property rights should be directed to the Special Collections Librarian.

Description: This collection contains student directories for the Norfolk Division of the College of William and Mary, Old Dominion College, and Old Dominion University, non-continuous, from 1955 to 2004. Although student directories are no longer published, a combined faculty/staff/student directory is accessible through the university’s website.

Access Restriction: Open to researchers without restrictions.

Rights Statement: Questions on literary property rights should be directed to the Special Collections Librarian.